US seizes oil tankers as it moves to take control of Venezuela’s oil sales indefinitely
Trump says Venezuela ‘stole’ US oil and vowed that proceeds from crude would be sold and controlled by him to benefit both countries
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Rubio says US to control Venezuelan oil sales indefinitely
The US captured two oil tankers on the high seas as a senior US official said on Wednesday that Washington expects to take control of future Venezuelan oil sales indefinitely and use the proceeds to help America and rebuild the nation’s beleaguered economy.
The seizure of the vessels, including one after a two-week chase, comes as US President Donald Trump’s administration takes an increasingly aggressive approach to foreign energy and security policy.
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright made little secret of Washington’s desire to call the shots on Wednesday.
“If we control the flow of oil and the flow of the cash that comes from those sales, we have large leverage,” said Wright, a former energy executive, at the Goldman Sachs Energy, Clean Tech & Utilities Conference in Miami on Wednesday.